September is named for the number seven; as in the 7th month of the Romans 10-month calendar. (from the Latin; Septem)
To the Romans, September began when the sun was in the sign of Virgo, giving guardianship to Volcanus, the god of fire and craftsmanship.
However, the Romans had many instructions for the farmer during this month from pitching haystacks to attending to their apple trees. Mosaics depicting the month of September were either of grapes, vintagers, or were associated with Bacchus.
When King Charlemagne ruled, he called it "Harvest Month" as it is today in Switzerland (Herbstmonat). The Anglo-Saxons named the month after the crop of barley which was usually being harvested (Gerstmonath). Around the 1800's, the French Republican Calendar named September "Vendémiaire" meaning 'grape harvester'.
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Fall is absolutely the best time of year to plant any tree and /or shrub. The soil is still warm enough for roots to actively grow and yet the demand on foliage growth is waning. Trees and shrubs planted now have months to develop a healthy root system before the heat of next year.
http://www.diynetwork.com/how-to/outdoors/gardening/to-do-list-for-fall-gardening
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"For man, autumn is a time of harvest, of gathering together.
For nature, it is a time of sowing, of scattering abroad."
- Edwin Way Teale
If fruits are plentiful when harvesting,the winter will be mild.
If you catch a falling leaf in autumn, then you’ll be free of colds all year.
For every leaf you catch, you will have a lucky month the following year.
~ https://alisonwilliamswriting.wordpress.com/2014/10/07/autumn-superstitions/
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Wine is relatively easy to make in today's world, but it hasn't always been so. Sometime in the far distant past, fermentation was a happy seasonal happenstance. The natural yeast on grapes brought about fermentation of the juice into wine and then into vinegar (if it wasn't drank first). This mysterious process, believed to be through divine intervention, was considered a gift from the Gods. Drinking this divinely intoxicating beverage allowed the drinker to take in divine energy. Thus, wine became an integral sacrament in religious rites, and still is today.
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I like the story of the origins of wine told about a King of Persia. He really loved grapes and wanted to eat them all year. His servants carefully stored grapes in jars so the king could eat them any time. One jar had grapes that seeped juice and started to ferment. When opened the odor and appearance of the fermented contents caused the jar to be marked poison. One of the kings wives had chronic nervous headaches and decided to kill herself by drinking the poisoned juice. She fell asleep, but when she woke she felt refreshed and had no headache. She finished off the jar of wine! She evidently had such a good time that the king ordered more of the grape juice “poison” to be made. He declared it to be sacred medicine. As improbable as this story sounds ( I'd have had a hangover, lol), grapes preserved as raisins would make a nice sweet wine.
Read more of this article here...
Autumn Equinox is a time to “Eat, drink, and be merry,” to share and give thanks for the bounty of the harvest...
By Lady Joyanna
Sources: The History of Wine in 100 Bottles: From Bacchus to Bordeaux and Beyond by Oz Clark - The Golden Bough by Sir James George Frazer - The Origins and Ancient History of Wine: Food and Nutrition in History by McGovern, Fleming, and Katz - thedrinksbusiness.com
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The Third Week of September is National Indoor Plant Week. Here are some magical plants to have in your home.
Houseplants can be a wonderful way to decorate your home. They add a touch of beauty to a windowsill, countertop, even in a dresser in your bedroom.
“Particular benefits of interior plants include:
Reducing carbon dioxide levels.
Increasing humidity.
Reducing levels of certain pollutants, such as benzene and nitrogen dioxide.
Reducing airborne dust levels.
Keeping air temperatures down.”
(Benefits of Indoor Plants - Health Benefits of Plants to Humans)
They can also be a way to de-stress. I find taking care of indoor plants is a way to soothe my soul when I am nervous or fidgety. I water them, remove any dead leaves, nurture them, and talk to them the whole time. I tell them how my day was, or the crazy thing that happened at work. I sound like the crazy plant lady, but talking to them is like talking to your pet, they can’t answer, but they always listen.
Houseplants are a great way to start with plant magic, it doesn’t matter how much space you have, you can have at least one plant, even if the only space you have is on your computer desk. Just try to make sure it can get some sunlight, and doesn’t get too much or too little water.
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Aloe
Aloe for example, is a relatively easy plant to take care of, and has some medicinal, as well as magical uses. I know a lot of people who use aloe for sunburn; whether it works or not, should be made on an individual basis.
Aloe is said to protect against evil, and to bring good luck if hung over a doorway. If planted outside of your house, or along your property lines, it is said to keep intruders away.
In some countries, aloe is used along with other herbs, lodestones, nuts and other ingredients, and woven into wreaths; sometimes even including pictures of Saints. The wreaths are then hung up in the home, bringing protection and encouraging luck.
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Rosemary
Rosemary, along with being a great seasoning in stews, soups and potatoes, it also has many magical uses. As an incense, it can eliminate negativity. A sachet under your pillow can aid in a restful sleep by protecting the sleeper, and ward off nightmares.
It is said that inhaling the sweet aroma, can improve memory and aid in memory retention, because it improves concentration and focus.
Rosemary can also be used in healing spells for health, friendship, and heartbreak. It protects against hexes and can be used in banishing spells.
In the bath, rosemary can help purify skin, and a rinse of rosemary tea will leave your hair with a beautiful shine and manageably soft.
Rosemary can be used as a substitute for Frankincense.
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Read about more magical houseplants here... Gardenia, Bamboo
By Lady Nashoba
Sources: *Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs.
*Benefits of Indoor Plants - Health Benefits of Plants to Humans
*reference.com - *wikipedia.org
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September 6 is National Read A Book Day. There are so many of us who make National Read A Book Day almost everyday, but September 6 seems like a great day to introduce yourself to a new book! Here are some of our favorite pagan fiction books you might love!
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The Mabinogion
Published in 1410, this is a collection of Celtic myths, Arthurian legend and fictional interpretations of British history. The story of the Cauldron of Ceridwen is featured as one of the high points of this collection.
The Goat-Foot God
Written by Dion Fortune and published in 1936. This is the story of crossing centuries and what happens when the God Pan is brought into existence through invocation.
The Wicker Man: A Novel
Written by Robin Hardy and Anthony Shaffer and published in 1978. The movie came first, but the novelization is great too and does not star Nicholas Cage. This is the tale of how far a coven of hereditary witches will go to remain secluded and bring about the gifts of the God to their ventures. PS – The witches win, always a plus.
The Last Viking Series
Written by Poul Anderson and published in 1980. “The saga of Harald Harrede. ‘He was a huge man, fully seven feet tall and no one could stand before him in battle or sport...His manner was often curt and haughty, though he knows how to win to him those whom he liked...and he could never hear enough of far lands’. ‘So wide a world and so short a span to wander it!’ ”
Mists of Avalon
Written by Marion Zimmer Bradley and published originally in 1984. This is the first book of what has become the Avalon series and tells the story of the Arthurian legend through the eyes of the women who influenced his rise to the throne and the power behind it.
Rhinegold
Written by Sephan Grundy and published in 1992. A tale “Set in the sensuous & exuberant world of North European myth & saga, this epic of heroism & betrayal, incest & tragedy breathes life into an age of unequaled grandeur, bringing intimacy & poignancy to the tumult of legend”
Anansi Boys
Written by Neal Gaiman and published in 2005. Tied loosely to American Gods, this is another story in the fictional world of Gods alive in America and the story of one man who discovers what it can mean when your father is a God.
A Discovery of Witches (All Souls Trilogy)
Written by Deborah Harkness and published in 2011. The tale of a scholarly discovery, by a young student and descendant of witches, an alchemical manuscript which brings to the light the dark underside of our world.
See more books we recommend here...
What are your favorite pagan fiction books?
By Lord Rand
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Sapphires have been held in high regards since around 800 B.C. by nobility and then by the clergy. Kings and Queens believed that wearing sapphire would protect them from feelings of envy by those they ruled over and protect them from harm, evil, and witchcraft. The blue of the sapphire symbolized Heaven by the church and followers believed the stone attracted heavenly blessings.
Sapphire is thought to bring wisdom and truth, for better perception and understanding to the possessor. It is thought to help find peace of mind and to calm agitated worries; so much so that it was once prescribed to heal mental disorders. Due to the belief of Sapphire bringing clarity of mind, the "Ancient Greeks associated sapphires with Apollo", host of the oracle at Delphi and "during the 11th and 12th centuries, sorcerers honored the sapphire more than any other stone as it enabled them to hear and understand the most obscure oracles. Not only did they help to get in touch with astral and psychic realms, but also they provided protection for those who took those journeys."
Sapphire
Corundum (mineral name)
Planet: Saturn
Element: Water
It is most commonly known as a blue stone, But it comes in in nearly every color of the rainbow including: pink, purple, orange, yellow, green, colorless, and red (ruby), black.
Properties:
Intuition, Meditation, Hope, Creative Expression, Protection
Keep blue sapphires near by to inspire you creatively and to enhance you intuition.
Black sapphires are excellent to help you find work and for spiritual protection.
Blue Sapphires are most commonly associated with the throat chakra.
By Lady Sistterwolf & Lady Atheona
http://meanings.crystalsandjewelry.com/sapphire/
http://www.witchipedia.com/mineral:sapphire
http://www.charmsoflight.com/sapphire-healing-properties.html
https://www.gia.edu/sapphire-history-lore
https://www.jewelsforme.com/sapphire-meaning
https://www.gemsociety.org/article/history-legend-sapphire-gems-yore/
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September, that month that presides over the last delicate days of summer and the first relief of Fall days. It is no surprise that the flowers chosen for this month are dainty and speak of endings and beginnings.
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The aster is a small flower that looks a lot like a daisy. Ancient Greeks made wreathes and placed the flower on the altars of all their Gods as a sacred offering. Asters have also been used to place on the graves of soldiers as a wish that things had turned out differently. They can be used to represent many other things, including: Love, Beginnings, Cleansing and Detoxifying, Connection to the Divine or Cosmic Realm, Doorways and Transitions, Gentleness, Psychic Abilities, and Protection.
By Lady Rowyn
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Forget-Me-Nots get their common name from a German folktale about a knight and his lady strolling by the Danube. While walking the lady points out these beautiful flowers by the bank of the river and the knight goes to collect them for her. Sadly, the knight is swept away by the river and as his armor drags him down and away he tosses a collected bouquet to his lady love and calls out, “Forget me not!” As you can imagine with a story like that, the Forget-Me-Not flower is used to represent true love and remembrance. It can also represent staying true through obstacles or through time and distance. Forget-Me-Nots can add clarity and focus to memory and are useful in spells for fidelity.
By Lady Rowyn
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The Morning Glory yields beautiful flowers that open to the sun in the morning and then fade and die by the end of the day. Meanwhile the plant is a perennial climbing vine that will aggressively attach itself to anything vertical to continue its growth. These characteristics contribute to a kind of duality of meaning sometimes attributed to the Morning Glory. This is why it can represent love or love in vain. The flowers can help represent awakening to the magic of life while the seeds can help with relaxation and when placed under a pillow can stop nightmares. Additionally, blue Morning Glories can be planted for peace and happiness. And the tenacity of the plant makes it an excellent candidate to use for success. Its root can be used as a substitute for High John the Conqueror root.
By Lady Rowyn
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http://www.flowermeaning.com/forget-me-not-flower-meaning/ - http://www.flowermeaning.com/morning-glory-flower-meaning/ - http://www.flowermeaning.com/aster-flower-meaning/ - http://witcheslore.com/bookofshadows/herbology/the-mystery-of-flowers-and-plants/3649/ - http://tesswhitehurst.com/the-magical-and-metaphysical-properties-of-flowers/ - http://memberfiles.freewebs.com/81/39/52093981/documents/Encyclopedia%20of%20Magical%20Herbs%20-%20Scott%20Cunningham.pdf
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If you are or know someone born before September 22, their zodiac sign is Virgo. Traits for Virgo include:
Loyal and/or Unquestioning servitude
Analytical and/or Overly critical
Kind and/or Easily hurt
Hardworking and/or Hard to relax
Practical and/or Blind to romance
Virgos are natural organizers who pay attention to the finite details although they can sometimes get caught up in those details and can’t move forward. Virgos will serve to the very best of their ability and be unwavering in their faith but if their faith is ever, ever broken, they can become indifferent and seemingly cold moving forward and hard to trust for long stretches at a time.
Photos from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urania%27s_Mirror
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If you are or know someone born after September 22, their zodiac sign is Libra. Traits for Libra include:
Diplomatic and/or Avoids confrontations
Gracious and/or Too malleable
Fair-minded and/or Carries a grudge
Social and/or Hates being alone
Libras are generally peaceful and fair but have a deep intolerance of injustice. Libras love art, music, and beautiful places and can have a tendency to spend unnecessary money on luxuries. Complete team players, they enjoy partnerships and interesting people... but be careful with promises the Libra makes, they often bite off more than they can chew.
Libra as depicted in Urania's Mirror, a set of constellation cards published in London c.1825 - Photos from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Libra_(constellation)#/media/File:Sidney_Hall_-_Urania%27s_Mirror_-_Libra.jpg
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